Genie in the bottle

Stalling the gene technology bill won't slow cell therapy research.

- BY ANDREA GRAVES

The long-awaited Gene Technology Bill has stalled because New Zealand First won't support it as it stands. The sticking point, it seems, is releasing genetically modified plants or animals into the environment. But where does that leave contained genetic technologies that the bill also covers, such as medical research?

They are less controversial. The Green Party has said medical use is “widely supported and uncontentious”. Even GE-Free NZ could agree with them - if they were regulated, labelled and traceable, which the bill doesn't require.

Bronwen Connor at the University of Auckland's Centre for Brain Research says medical research is progressing well under existing rules.

Universities have worked with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to demonstrate that the viruses that ferry genes into cells can be used safely.

“They're now seen as reasonably low risk because they only affect the cell once - they're non-replicating. We still need approval, but it’s a very low-level approval now.”